Virginia Beach Historic Preservation Commission to Host Public Meeting Nov. 16

The Virginia Beach Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will host a public meeting to update residents on the City’s historic preservation program and invite discussion on upcoming projects. Residents are invited to join the conversation starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16, at the new Great Neck Pavilion, 2513 Shorehaven Drive.

The meeting will include a general update of accomplishments in 2023, including the completion of a revised Historic Preservation Plan and progress on several National Register of Historic Places nominations. The HPC’s two appointed student members will provide an overview of the activities of the Student Leaders Committee.

The HPC will also inform attendees about a project that is just getting underway to research and develop a historic context for the post-World War II suburban development of the northern half of Virginia Beach. The postwar suburbanization of Princess Anne County/Virginia Beach transformed a mostly rural county into the largest city by population in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Many of the neighborhoods constructed during that era (1946 – 1991) have reached the 50-year threshold for historic consideration and many more reach that milestone each year. The study will provide an essential document for identifying areas for historic resource surveys, National Register nominations, and other preservation initiatives.

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) awarded a State Survey and Planning Cost Share Program grant to the City of Virginia Beach to help fund the project. Representatives from DHR and the selected consulting firm will provide a presentation on the development of the suburbanization historic context and will look for input from the community on historical information about individual neighborhoods and their development.

The HPC will also address the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, which is fast approaching. A state commission has been established and City Council recently created the Virginia Beach VA250 Committee to facilitate the local commemorations. The meeting will engage attendees in small group discussions to gather ideas on ways to commemorate the history of our independence, the ideals that were declared July 4, 1776, and the ongoing efforts to achieve them.

The HPC is an appointed advisory body established by City Council in 2008. They work with the Department of Planning and Community Development and residents of Virginia Beach to raise awareness about Virginia Beach’s history and to advocate for the preservation of historic buildings, structures, and sites that represent the historic identity of the city. For more information, contact Mark Reed, historic preservation planner, at mreed@vbgov.com or (757) 385-8573.